# 2019 Washington State Cougars football team

The 2019 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Mike Leach, the Cougars competed in the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference, and played their home games on campus at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington.
WSU finished the regular season at 6–6, 3–6 in Pac-12 play, tied for fifth in the Northern Division. They were invited to the Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix in late December, but lost 31–21 to Air Force. On January 9, Leach departed for Mississippi State, and less than a week later, athletic director Pat Chun hired Hawaii head coach Nick Rolovich.

## Preseason
### Pac-12 media days
#### Pac-12 media polls

In the Pac-12 preseason media poll, Washington State was voted to finish in fourth place in the North Division and fifth place in the Pac-12 Championship.
Media poll (North Division) :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Oregon | 190 (17) |
| 2 | Washington | 189 (17) |
| 3 | Stanford | 129 |
| 4 | Washington State | 108 (1) |
| 5 | California | 81 |
| 6 | Oregon State | 38 |
Media poll (Pac-12 Championship) :
| Rank | Team | Votes |
| 1 | Utah | 12 |
| 2 | Oregon | 11 |
| 3 | Washington | 9 |
| 4 | USC | 2 |
| 5 | Washington State | 1 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 7:00 p.m. | New Mexico State* | No. 23 | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | P12N | W 58–7 | 27,228 |
| September 7 | 2:00 p.m. | Northern Colorado* | No. 22 | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | P12N | W 59–17 | 27,585 |
| September 13 | 6:15 p.m. | vs. Houston* | No. 20 | NRG StadiumHouston, TX (Texas Kickoff) | ESPN | W 31–24 | 40,523 |
| September 21 | 7:30 p.m. | UCLA | No. 19 | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | ESPN | L 63–67 | 32,952 |
| September 28 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 19 Utah | | Rice–Eccles StadiumSalt Lake City, UT | FS1 | L 13–38 | 46,115 |
| October 12 | 12:30 p.m. | at No. 18 Arizona State | | Sun Devil StadiumTempe, AZ | P12N | L 34–38 | 48,536 |
| October 19 | 4:00 p.m. | Colorado | | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | ESPNU | W 41–10 | 28,514 |
| October 26 | 7:30 p.m. | at No. 11 Oregon | | Autzen StadiumEugene, OR | ESPN | L 35–37 | 59,361 |
| November 9 | 4:00 p.m. | at California | | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA | P12N | L 20–33 | 39,168 |
| November 16 | 1:30 p.m. | Stanford | | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | P12N | W 49–22 | 32,952 |
| November 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Oregon State | | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | P12N | W 54–53 | 22,016 |
| November 29 | 1:00 p.m. | at Washington | | Husky StadiumSeattle, WA (112th Apple Cup) | FOX | L 13–31 | 70,931 |
| December 27 | 7:15 p.m. | vs. Air Force* | | Chase FieldPhoenix, AZ (Cheez-It Bowl) | ESPN | L 21–31 | 34,105 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings (after November 5) released prior to gameAll times are in Pacific time ||||||||
    Source:
Conference opponents not played this season: Arizona, USC

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| AP | 23 | 22 | 20 | 19 | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Coaches | 21 | 21 | 20 | 19 | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| CFP | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

Staff for the 2019 season.
| Name | Position | Season |
| Mike Leach | Head Coach, offensive coordinator | 8th |
| Darcel McBath and Roc Bellantoni | Co-defensive coordinators | 1st |
| Ken Wilson | Linebackers | 5th |
| Kendrick Shaver | Safeties | 1st |
| Steve Spurrier Jr. | Outside Receivers | 1st |
| Dave Nichol | Inside receivers | 2nd |
| Mason Miller | Offensive line | 2nd |
| Jeff Phelps | Defensive line | 2nd |
| Matt Brock | Outside Linebackers | 1st |
| Eric Mele | Running backs | 3rd |
| Dave Emerick | Chief of staff | 6th |
| Antonio Huffman | Director of Football Operations | 6th |
| Tyson Brown | Strength and conditioning | 1st |
| Price Ferguson | Offensive Quality Control | 3rd |
| Darcel McBath | Defensive backs | 2nd |

### Roster

Source:

## Game summaries
### New Mexico State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Aggies | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 23 Cougars | 14 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 58 |
at Martin Stadium, Pullman, Washington
* Date: August 31
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: Clear, 83 °F (28 °C)
* Game attendance: 27,228
* Referee: Brandon Cruse
* TV announcers (P12N): Guy Haberman, Chad Brown, and Samantha Peszek
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | NMSU | WSU |
| First downs | 18 | 28 |
| Total yards | 317 | 618 |
| Rushing yards | 96 | 111 |
| Passing yards | 221 | 507 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 25:19 | 34:41 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| New Mexico State | Passing | Josh Adkins | 28/42, 221 yards, 2 INT |
| New Mexico State | Rushing | Jason Huntley | 9 rushes, 57 yards |
| New Mexico State | Receiving | O. J. Clark | 7 receptions, 47 yards |
| Washington State | Passing | Anthony Gordon | 29/35, 420 yards, 5 TD |
| Washington State | Rushing | Max Borghi | 10 rushes, 128 yards, TD |
| Washington State | Receiving | Dezmon Patmon | 7 receptions, 103 yards, TD |

### Northern Colorado

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| No. 22 Cougars | 14 | 10 | 21 | 14 | 59 |
at Martin Stadium, Pullman, Washington
* Date: September 7
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 80 °F (27 °C)
* Game attendance: 27,585
* Referee: Mark Duddy
* TV announcers (P12N): Jim Watson and Jeremy Bloom
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | UNCO | WSU |
| First downs | 21 | 25 |
| Total yards | 355 | 594 |
| Rushing yards | 216 | 113 |
| Passing yards | 139 | 481 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 36:01 | 23:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Northern Colorado | Passing | Jacob Knipp | 8/15, 128 yards |
| Northern Colorado | Rushing | Milo Hall | 31 rushes, 113 yards, TD |
| Northern Colorado | Receiving | Noah Sol | 2 receptions, 47 yards |
| Washington State | Passing | Anthony Gordon | 31/39, 464 yards, 4 TD, INT |
| Washington State | Rushing | Deon McIntosh | 4 rushes, 52 yards, TD |
| Washington State | Receiving | Brandon Arconado | 8 receptions, 127 yards, TD |

### Vs. Houston

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 20 WSU Cougars | 0 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 31 |
| HOU Cougars | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
* Date: September 13
* Game time: 6:15 p.m. PDT/8:15 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 40,523
* Referee: Steve Strimling
* TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming, Louis Riddick, and Paul Carcaterra
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | WSU | HOU |
| First downs | 25 | 22 |
| Total yards | 489 | 367 |
| Rushing yards | 49 | 239 |
| Passing yards | 440 | 128 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 32:06 | 27:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Washington State | Passing | Anthony Gordon | 36/48, 440 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Washington State | Rushing | Max Borghi | 9 rushes, 40 yards, TD |
| Washington State | Receiving | Brandon Arconado | 3 receptions, 115 yards |
| Houston | Passing | D'Eriq King | 13/24, 128 yards, TD |
| Houston | Rushing | D'Eriq King | 17 rushes, 94 yards, 2 TD |
| Houston | Receiving | Keith Corbin | 3 receptions, 54 yards |

### UCLA

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bruins | 10 | 7 | 21 | 29 | 67 |
| No. 19 Cougars | 7 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 63 |
at Martin Stadium, Pullman, Washington
* Date: September 21
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: Clear, 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 32,952
* Referee: Chris Coyte
* TV announcers (ESPN): Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht, and Rocky Boiman
* Box score, Recap
| Statistics | UCLA | WSU |
| First downs | 28 | 28 |
| Total yards | 657 | 720 |
| Rushing yards | 150 | 150 |
| Passing yards | 507 | 570 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 6 |
| Time of possession | 29:27 | 30:33 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| UCLA | Passing | Dorian Thompson-Robinson | 25/38, 507 yards, 5 TD, INT |
| UCLA | Rushing | Joshua Kelley | 20 rushes, 90 yards |
| UCLA | Receiving | Demetric Felton | 7 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TD |
| Washington State | Passing | Anthony Gordon | 41/61, 570 yards, 9 TD, 2 INT |
| Washington State | Rushing | Max Borghi | 15 rushes, 123 yards |
| Washington State | Receiving | Easop Winston | 10 receptions, 114 yards, 4 TD |
After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Cougars jumped out to a 49–17 lead midway through the third quarter. However, turnovers on offense, a collapsing defense, and giving up a touchdown on special teams would prove costly for Washington State as UCLA would come back to win 67–63. Washington State quarterback Anthony Gordon broke the school record for touchdown passes, throwing for nine in the game; the previous record of seven was set by Gardner Minshew the previous season against Arizona.

### At Utah

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cougars | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Utes | 7 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 38 |

### At Arizona State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cougars | 10 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
| No. 18 Sun Devils | 0 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 38 |

### Colorado

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buffaloes | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Cougars | 21 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 41 |

### At Oregon

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cougars | 3 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 35 |
| No. 11 Ducks | 9 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 37 |

### At California

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cougars | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 20 |
| Golden Bears | 6 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 33 |

### Stanford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinal | 0 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| Cougars | 13 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 49 |

### Oregon State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Beavers | 7 | 17 | 0 | 29 | 53 |
| Cougars | 7 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 54 |
at Martin Stadium, Pullman, Washington
* Date: November 23, 2019
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: Partly cloudy, 38 °F (3 °C)
* Game attendance: 22,016
* Referee: Kevin Mar
* TV: Pac-12 Network
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Jermar Jefferson 54-yard run (Everett Hayes kick), 9:16. Oregon St 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 99 yards, 1:57.
WSU – Dezmon Patmon 12-yard pass from Anthony Gordon (Blake Mazza kick), 2:17. Tie 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 2:51.
Second quarter
OSU – Champ Fleming 46-yard pass from Jake Luton (Everett Hayes kick), 12:38. Oregon St 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 2:06.
WSU – Renard Bell 10-yard pass from Anthony Gordon (Blake Mazza kick), 9:24. Tie 14–14. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:14.
WSU – Deon McIntosh 33-yard pass from Anthony Gordon (Blake Mazza kick), 4:51. Washington St 21–14. Drive: 4 plays, 73 yards, 2:12.
OSU – Noah Togiai 18-yard pass from Jake Luton (Everett Hayes kick), 2:20. Tie 21–21. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:31.
OSU – Everett Hayes 47-yard field goal, 0:26. Oregon St 24–21. Drive: 6 plays, 23 yards, 0:42.
Third quarter
WSU – Calvin Jackson 36-yard pass from Anthony Gordon (Blake Mazza kick), 8:06. Washington St 28–24. Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 1:29.
WSU – Renard Bell 10-yard pass from Anthony Gordon (Blake Mazza kick), 1:44. Washington St 35–24. Drive: 9 plays, 82 yards, 4:56.
Fourth quarter
OSU – Teagan Quitoriano 28-yard pass from Jake Luton (run good), 13:42. Washington St 35–32. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:02.
WSU – Max Borghi 1-yard run (Blake Mazza kick), 9:52. Washington St 42–32. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:50.
OSU – Jermar Jefferson 5-yard run (Everett Hayes kick), 7:32. Washington St 42–39. Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 2:22.
OSU – Jermar Jefferson 39-yard pass from Jake Luton (Everett Hayes kick), 6:45. Oregon St 46–42. Drive: 3 plays, 51 yards, 0:45.
OSU – Jermar Jefferson 2-yard pass from Jake Luton (Everett Hayes kick), 4:17. Oregon St 53–42. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:19.
WSU – Dezmon Patmon 14-yard pass from Anthony Gordon (pass failed), 2:10. Oregon St 53–48. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:07.
WSU – Max Borghi 2-yard run (run failed), 0:02. Washington St 54–53. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 1:08.
Top passers
OSU – Jake Luton – 22/40, 408 yards, 5 TD, int
WSU – Anthony Gordon – 50/68, 606 yards, 6 TD, 3 int
Top rushers
OSU – Jermar Jefferson – 21 rushes, 132 yards, 2 TD
WSU – Max Borghi – 10 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
OSU – Champ Fleming – 4 receptions, 110 yards, TD
WSU – Renard Bell – 8 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TD :

### At Washington

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cougars | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Huskies | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
at Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA
* Date: November 29, 2019
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game attendance: 70,931
* TV: FOX/FS1

### Vs. Air Force (Cheez-It Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Cougars | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |

## Awards

| Player | Award | Date |
| Anthony Gordon | Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week | September 3, 2019 |
| Liam Ryan | Pac-12 Offensive Line Player of the Week | September 3, 2019 |
| Anthony Gordon | Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week | September 16, 2019 |
| Anthony Gordon | Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week | November 18, 2019 |
| Abraham Lucas | Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week | November 25, 2019 |
| Anthony Gordon | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Second Team Offense | December 10, 2019 |
| Abraham Lucas | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Second Team Offense | December 10, 2019 |
| Blake Mazza | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference First Team Specialists | December 10, 2019 |
| Travion Brown | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Second Team Specialists | December 10, 2019 |
| Max Borghi | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Honorable Mention | December 10, 2019 |
| Josh Watson | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Honorable Mention | December 10, 2019 |
| Easop Winston | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Honorable Mention | December 10, 2019 |
| Jahad Woods | 2019 All-Pac-12 Conference Honorable Mention | December 10, 2019 |

## NFL draft

| Player | Position | Round | Overall | NFL club |
| Dezmon Patmon | WR | 6 | 212 | Indianapolis Colts |